Sifter and driving mechanism therefor.



H. W. GLADHILL.

SIFTBR AND DRIVING MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.10, 1011.

1,124,222.. I Patented Jan.5,1915.

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H. W. GLADHILL.

SIFTBR AND DRIVING MECHANISM THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.10, 1911.

1 1 2% 222, Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

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THE 'VORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHQ. WASH/N0 raw. D. C.

UNTTFAED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

HARVEY W. GLADI-IILL, OF CHAIVIBEBSBURG,

SIFTER AND DRIVING 1VIEGHANIS M Application filed August 10, 19,11.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, iHARVEYW. GLADHILL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chambersburg, county of Franklin, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Sifters .and Driving Mechanism Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in sifters used in milling for the purpose of sieving, separating, scalping and bolting and to ball bearing driving mechanism therefor.

The invention is an improvement onthat for which application for patent was filed by moon the first dayof March 1911 under Serial No. 546,609 patented Sept. 24:, 1912, No. 1,039,514.

The object of my present invention is to improve thedriving mechanism and to provide means for reducing the friction between the shaft and its step and the sides of the bearing upon which the shaft is mounted.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1, is a vertical sectional view of a sifter illustrating my improved driving mechanism and the bearing for the vertical driving shaft. Fig. 2, is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the bearing and the driving shaft. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the coupling, the cap being removed. Fig. e is a sectional view on the line M Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detached sectional perspective view of the coupling head. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the ball step bearing, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the ball and socket connection.

A is the bearing having a flared base A and this base is suitably secured to the floor or other foundation.

B is a vertical driving shaft, mounted upon which is a head B carrying the coupling means 0 by which the driving shaft B is coupled to a crank shaft E, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. On the hub of the head B is mounted the driving pulley B by which the driving shaft is driven, but other suitable means may be employed for driving the shaft without departing from the essential features of the invention.

N is the sieve case having in the present instance an open center and also having compartments in which the sieves are mounted. This sieve case is suspended by means of rods or ropes 71. secured to brackets N Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915;. Serial No. 643,298.

on the case. Within the opening in the sievecase ,are spiders M having bearings m for the crank shaft E. The crank e in this instance isextended so as to fit in both bearings; the balance weight P being mounted onthecrank between the bearings as shown in Fig. 1. The weight P is made in sections each section being clamped to the crank and the two upper sections in .the present instance are made hollow to receive small weights to properly balance the machine.

The crank shaft .E has a ball is at its lower end adapted to asocket b in the end of the driving shaft B, Fig. ;7 sothat the lower end of the crank shaft is always in line with the driving shaft, yet the shaft can. tilt to accommodate itself to the inequalities of the floor or the suspension of the sieve case.

The crank shaft E is driven from the main shaft B through the head B which is slotted in one direction to receive the arms 0 0 of the coupling C, and this coupling is slotted at right angles to the arms to receive the end of the crank shaft E which is flattened on two sides so that it will turn with the coupling O and head B but will be allowed to tilt.

In order to allow the coupling C to rock in-the head B with the crank shaft E I provide projections b on the bottom of the head B Fig. 5 forming rockers upon which the coupling rests, Fig. 4.

-lVitliin the bearing '13. is a web a in which is a cavity for the reception of the ball bearings'D and F, and'clos ing the bottom of this cavity is a plate A secured to the web by suitable bolts. This plate takes the down thrust of the shaft. Mounted in a recess in the plate A is a ring (Z having a socket in its upper surface to receive the rounded portion of the lower ball race cl of the step ball bearing D; the upper race (Z snugly fits the shaft B and rotates with it. Between the two races are the balls (Z Fig. 6.

The ball bearing F consists of an inner race f fitting the shaft B, an outerrace f, fitting the cavity in the web a and a series of balls mounted between the two races. The inner race of the ball bearing F is separated from the upper race of the bearing D by a collar D.

G- is a sleeve; the lower end of which rests upon the inner race f of the ball bearing F and it forms, at its upper end, a

shoulder for the inner race i of the upper ball bearing I, which take the lateral thrust of the upper end of the shaft B. The outer race 2" rests in the opening in the upper end of the frame A and between the two races are mounted the balls 7?. The shaft 13 has a shoulder 12 which rests upon the ball race '5 so that the weight of the shaft is taken by the sleeve G and the step ball bearing D, while the shaft is held laterally by the lower ball bearing F and the upper ball bearing 1. The upper ball bearing is protected by a cap it, which is secured to the bearing A by bolts or other means.

By providing the flexible driving connection between the driving shaft and the crank shaft as shown and pivoting the crank shaft at the end of the driving shaft there is no tendency of either shaft to bind in its bearing yet the crank shaft will accommodate itself to the bearings of the sieve case and an even drive of the case is assured without jarring the building in which the machine is located the ball bearings aiding materially in the even running of the machine.

The ball bearings can be readilv assembled and when it is necessary to make repairs or to renew the parts the shaft with its parts i can be readily removed from the base.

I claim:

1. The combination of a casing; a vertical driving shaft having a fixed point of support from below; a vertical crank shaft; means for suspending the crank shaft from a fixed point above; a ball-and-socket connection between the driving shaft and the crank shaft whereby the lower end of the crank shaft will be maintained in line with the driving shaft and one shaft may fiex relatively to the other; a flexible driving connection between the two shafts; a single crank on the crank shaft extending into said casing; two bearings on the casing adapted to receive the crank of the crank shaft; and a weight on the crank shaft between the bearings.

2. The combination of a casing; a vertical driving shaft located below the casing; a fixed support below for the driving shaft; a vertical crank shaft above the driving shaft; means forming a fixed point of suspension from above for the crank shaftand casing; a ball-and-socket connection between the drivshaft and the crank shaft whereby the lower end of the crank shaft will be maintained in line with the center of the driving shaft; a flexible connection between the two shafts; a single crank on the crank shaft extending into the casing, said casing having two bearings adapted to receive the crank of said shaft; and a weight on the crank shaft between the bearings said weight being made in a series of sections secured to the crank shaft.

3. The combination of a casing; a base bearing below the casing and fixedly se cured; a vertical driving shaft mounted in said bearing; and fixedly supported thereby from below; a head secured to the upper end of said shaft; said head having recesses therein and rockers thereon; a driving block resting upon the rockers having arms auapted to the recesses in the head, said driving block having a slot at right angles to the recesses in the driving head; a crank shaft having a flat portion mounted in the slot in the driving block and having a crank pin extending into the casing, said casing having bearings for the crank pin.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARVEY V. GLAJDHILL.

WVitnesses WM. E. SHUPE, WVM. A. BARR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

